The cider and crème fraiche sauce adds a little twist to this chicken dish. Tarragon is often used with fish but also works well with chicken. The parsley-dipped croutons elevate this dish to dinner party status.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, skin on
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 15g unsalted butter
- 100g shallots, peeled
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 300ml dry cider
- 100g crème fraiche
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
- cracked black pepper
For the garnish
- 3 slices white bread
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Method
- Heat the oil and butter in an ovenproof dish on the hot plate set at 290°. Add the shallots and fry for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Add chicken (skin side down) into the dish. When the chicken is sealed and golden in colour, turn each breast over.
- Pour the cider over the chicken, along with a bay leaf and a twist of black pepper. Bring to the boil, cover with foil and place in the top oven until cooked (around 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts).
- When the juices run clear the chicken breasts are cooked. Transfer the chicken onto a serving platter and keep warm.
- Remove the bayleaf from the cooking liquid. Stir in the crème fraiche, followed by the chopped tarragon. Check and adjust seasoning and place on the simmer plate, stirring occasionally until desired consistency is reached. (If you want a thicker sauce, mix a couple of tsps of cornflour with cold water, add to the sauce and bring to boil).
- Meanwhile, toast the bread on bakoglide on the hotplate and cut into shapes, using a pastry cutter.
To serve
- Place the chicken breast on a plate (it looks good on a bed of Savoy cabbage, sautéed with caraway seeds and pancetta).
- Pour a little of the cider sauce over the chicken breast.
- Dip one end of each crouton in the sauce and then into the chopped parsley, and use to garnish the dish.